Microblading may sound like the latest craze for zipping down the streets of Bend, raising the eyebrows of bystanders. Actually, microblading is only about those eyebrows — it is a form of semi-permanent make-up designed to give the patient fuller, more defined eyebrows.

What is microblading?

Microblading is a form of tattoo artistry where the pigment is implanted into the skin using a manual, handheld tool instead of a machine. This is how it varies from the more familiar tattooing methods. In microblading our medical aesthetician, Tara McKenna, creates delicate, individual strokes that are virtually indistinguishable from actual hairs. They accurately mimic your eyebrow hair, but fill out thin or sparsely populated areas. Tara uses a technique that creates a very natural, pleasing look. It presents a stark contrast to traditional “permanent” make-up, which can look grey and artificial.

Who would be right for microblading?

Every woman knows the bother that is applying makeup to fill out our eyebrows. Microblading replaces that need for makeup, giving you perfect brows every day without any work on your part. Also, if your hair density has diminished with age, illness, over-plucking, or simple genetics, microblading can be a great option. Finally, if your vision has diminished, or if the steadiness of your hands can be a problem, microblading can replace the difficulty of applying makeup.

Is microblading painful?

We apply topical anesthetic prior to your microblading procedure. Most patients feel this is more than adequate and that the procedure is virtually painless.

What will I look like after my appointment?

When you leave after your microblading appointment, the pigment on your eyebrows will appear very dark and the lines very sharp. Don’t worry — this is simply because the pigment is still sitting on top of your skin and has not fully settled into the epidermis. The color will soften gradually. Your true final color will show itself in three to four weeks. At that point, a touch-up and/or color correction can be made, if necessary.

What do I have to do to maintain my eyebrows?

Microblading is semi-permanent, meaning periodic touch-ups are necessary for maintenance. The timing varies from person to person, but a touch-up usually is needed after one to two years.

Interested in permanently perfect eyebrows? Call Deschutes at 541-330-0900 and ask about microblading.

Unwanted hair is like that chickweed in your perennial beds. No matter what you do, it just keeps coming back. You shave, pluck, wax, and use napalm-like creams to remove the stuff but then two or three weeks later there it is again.

Instead of this unending hair warfare, Dr. Carter has a better idea — putting our lasers to work ridding your body of its unwanted hair for good.

Join the crowd

In case you wonder if other people are having their unwanted hair zapped by lasers consider this: year in and year out, laser hair removal is the most popular cosmetic treatment performed in the United States. That’s because it works very well and it’s easy. Laser hair removal is great on the underarms, face, bikini line, legs, back, and other areas of the body.

How it gets rid of the hair

It may seem scary to have a laser directed at your skin. If you’ve been binging on James Bond movies, it could make you think of that scene in Goldfinger, where our beloved spy is about to be sliced in two with a laser. But, in reality, laser hair removal is safe and pretty simple.

It all comes down to the hair follicle. For permanent hair removal, the hair follicle’s bulb, bulge, and papilla must be destroyed. The vehicle is laser energy. The melanin in hair is the target for the laser energy; different wavelengths are used for different hair colors. For this reason, laser hair removal isn’t as effective on light blond or gray hair.

The laser energy travels down the hair into the follicle, and the heat then damages the follicle so it can no longer produce hair. Sometimes, if the follicle isn’t fully disabled, hair growth function can return in a few months or more.

Timing is important

You may wonder why, if you can ski the entire volcanic cone at Mt. Bachelor, how come hair isn’t always permanently sent to the graveyard. The problem is timing. Only actively growing hair responds well to laser treatments because the hair has the most melanin in that phase. But in addition to the anagen (active growth) phase, there is telogen (no growth), and cathagen (hair ejection) phases. The hundreds of thousands of hairs on your body are in different phases at different times. Plus, different areas of the body have more hairs in anagen phases than others, because hair growth is more important in those areas.

Trust Deschutes expertise

Laser hair removal requires expertise in wavelength selection, fluency, pulse duration, and cooling to effectively remove unwanted hair with the most comfort for you. At Deschutes, we know skin and how to keep you comfortable with all of our procedures. Hair removal is no different!

If you’re ready to ditch the razors and the nasty depilatory creams, you’re ready for laser hair removal at Deschutes. Call us at 541-330-0900 to make an appointment.